‘We don’t buy superstars in auction, we make them. Look at Vaibhav Suryavanshi': RR bat for youngsters despite IPL exit

Despite their IPL playoff aspirations fading after a crushing 100-run defeat to Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals fielding coach Dishant Yagnik remains optimistic about the team's future. With only six points from 11 games, the 2008 champions find themselves languishing in eighth place. However, Yagnik staunchly defended the team's strategy of backing young talent, even in the face of criticism regarding the release of prominent players like Jos Buttler and Trent Boult before the mega auction.

While acknowledging the absence of the former England white-ball skipper and the New Zealand pacer, Yagnik emphasized the franchise's philosophy.

The former keeper-batter said RR doesn't believe in picking superstars in the auction but instead wants to create superstars from young talent.

"There's a great point in your question about star (players). Whenever a new player arrives, he is not a star but he is made into one," Yagnik stated at the post-match press conference. "Last year, the players we had were not stars when they entered the team but they became stars and now the players that we have got in the team, we will make them stars. We don't buy superstars, we make superstars and this is our tagline."

The Royals, who had a strong showing last season, finishing third with 17 points, witnessed their young batting lineup falter against Mumbai Indians. Openers Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the youngest IPL centurion, was dismissed for a duck, and Yashasvi Jaiswal managed only 13 runs as the team was bundled out for 117 while chasing 217.

Despite this setback, Yagnik reiterated his faith in the youngsters. "Look at Vaibhav Suryavanshi, everyone was happy for him when he was batting (against Gujarat Titans during his 38-ball 101). The entire crowd was happy and in time to come, these guys will become stars and we believe in that," he asserted.

Why did the Rajasthan Royals release Jos Buttler?

Addressing the void left by players like Buttler, Yagnik said the team must focus on the current talent pool. "The time has come for you to think beyond. When you don't have (a player), you have to forget it and move on. We have Vaibhav, Yashasvi Jaiswal... Sanju Samson is our captain, we will go ahead with this team and show it by winning with them," he affirmed. When questioned about the team's strategy for the next auction, Yagnik replied, "There is a lot of time for that, we will analyse and see."

Yagnik conceded that Mumbai Indians' superior skills on the day overshadowed Rajasthan's plans. "If someone's skillset weighs heavy on your plans, like Rohit's (Sharma), Surya's (Suryakumar Yadav), and Hardik's (Pandya), you have to give credit. They hit good shots on good balls. GT (Gujarat Titans) said in the last game's press conference that Vaibhav played class shots. Similarly, you have to give credit to Mumbai Indians where it is due," he acknowledged.

Defending the team's fielding standards despite recent dropped catches, Yagnik stated, "I have been a fielding coach since last eight years and if you check the data, we were always in the top three from 2018 to 2023. You always have that one season in which you drop back-to-back catches and this has happened with every franchise. When Ben Stokes had taken the best catch in IPL in 2018 here, I was there as the fielding coach and today when we are dropping sitters, I am here as the fielding coach. It happens, but what matters is your levels of preparation."

Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians pacer Deepak Chahar credited bowling alongside experienced campaigners like Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult for his improved performance. "When you are bowling with world-class partners it becomes easy for you because as a bowler if you have a bad over and if that bad over is backed by a brilliant over or a wicket, then it (becomes) an easy job for me to bowl to the new batter," Chahar said after his economical spell of 2-0-13-1, which included the wicket of Suryavanshi. "Bowling with world-class bowlers who have done well in international cricket and the IPL is helping me and when you bowl as a unit, it becomes difficult for the other team as well."